José Manuel Soria said in an interview on 8 September 2026 that the mayor of Mogán, Onalia Bueno, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria should lead it. The former minister named the island chair of the Partido Popular, Carlos Sánchezas an alternative. The interview was broadcast on Onda Guanche. Soria said he preferred her because of the local government experience of both candidates, describing them as a “tándem netamente ganador”.
The comments come as speculation grows about possible alliances for the 2027 island elections. Onalia Bueno has made her political project increasingly visible in several Gran Canaria municipalities and has explicitly left open the possibility of working with the Partido Popular. At the same time, the party leadership in the Canary Islands has reiterated that candidacies will only be decided formally in due course. No binding decisions have been made so far.
Some factual corrections are part of the current debate: the radio programme referred to the careers of those named, but included some inaccuracies. For example, Carlos Sánchez was a long-serving councillor in Santa Brígida but was not mayor. Soria himself headed the Cabildo de Gran Canaria from 2003 to 2007; an incorrect claim that he had presided until 2027 circulated in reports and was corrected by several media outlets.
Politically, a candidacy by Onalia Bueno, who is based in Mogán, on a Partido Popular list would be significant for the balance of power on Gran Canaria. She could combine her local base in the south of the island with the organisational strength of a major national party. Supporters point to her administrative experience and name recognition; sceptics caution that personnel matters must be settled by party bodies and that agreements made outside party structures can cause friction.
Soria’s intervention shows that decisions about the 2027 elections are already taking shape in late summer 2026 – but mainly through public statements of position. Official signals remain mixed: while supporters on Gran Canaria are calling for a quick decision, the Partido Popular’s regional leadership is insisting on procedures and timetables. No decisions have yet been made nominating Onalia Bueno or Carlos Sánchez as lead candidates for the Cabildo de Gran Canaria. Further steps depend on internal party decisions and possible alliances surrounding island politics.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).